How to get rid of snaping turtles in farm pond

[thcri]

Some friends of mine well over thirty years ago use to go and trap the snappers. They would make soup out of them and also collect the eggs. Can't remember what they used the eggs for?/

murph

 

[Unclebuck257]

I've got a 2 acre pond (stock tank here in Texas) about 100 yds directly behind my house, and another smaller tank about 400 yds to the northwest behind my house. The 2 acre pond is loaded with snapping turtles, and they're huge too!! The smaller tank has them too.

Only two ways to get rid of them that I know of. You either build or buy a turtle trap, as referenced in an earlier post, and buying will cost you approx $200.00 minimal, or you have fun in the evening and go shoot the boogers!!

As far as the stink with a trap, the stink doesn't last long, IF you have any vultures around, as they'll have a feast on them and leave you nothing but an empty shell, or pile of shells. Just dump the dead ones out of the trap somewhere away from your home or barn. If you have a bunch of turtles, you'll have to dump several loads. The traps actually drown the turtles and that's what kills them.

Shooting turtles with a 22 can be fun, but dangerous too, as the angle you shoot at determines if that bullet glances off the water and goes somewhere you don't want it to. Shooting them with a shotgun is a lot less dangerous.

Eating them, or finding someone that does, can get interesting and difficult. Don't go on a guilt trip if you can't, and just take care of business as it best suits you and your situation.

Don't worry, because you won't be eliminating turtles from the world. They'll walk a couple of miles, especially when it's dry, to get from one dry tank to one with water in it. I've watched them do that here many times.

Good Luck, and I'll be eliminating a bunch here pretty soon myself!! I know how you feel, especially if like me, you stock your pond with game fish and see those turtles eating them every day!!

 

[heehaw]

you can make a turtle trap using 3 or 4 inch pvc pipe: make a square out of it, maybe 3-6 ft on each side, the size is up to you, then fasten some wire to it, so you make a basket under one side a couple feet deep, secure a couple boards across the square, with the middle high and the ends in the water, kinda like a teepee, the turtles will crawl up the boards to sun themselves, then drop off inside the basket: and they can't get back out...this will float in the pond, and you'll have to use a boat to empty it or tie a cable/rope to it and drag it in occasionally and relocate the catch..
heehaw

 

[Panache]

I didn't think snappers came out to sun. The only thing I have seen sunning are sliders.

 

[edski]

I HAD snappers in my pond.

I swam in the pond and they never bothered me. But the wife and kidos were afraid.
At first we had a couple of the "old timers" on the ridge trap them. They used the baited hook and milk jug float, and would cook 'em up. I soon realized that they only trapped them after their eggs were laid so they'd have more to trap the next year.
Plan B...plink 'em with a 22. The target is about the size of a quarter, just their nose and eye above water, and they're moving at a decent pace. Even my wife who doesn't hunt enjoyed the challenge.
Good luck...

 

[gws]

Might want to check with fish/game on getting rid of them. I think in ohio you need a permit to trap them.

 

[budman72]

I have a couple good sized snappers in my pond, I let 'em be because they DO keep the ducks away. I bet if I didn't have them I'd have about 100 Canadian Geese in permanent residence here. They land, stay around for an hour or so and move on. The snappers never bother me and I don't swim in their pond. I do catch some bass & bluegill out of it, the turtles don't seem to bother the fish or frog population, I have plenty of both /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bud

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( turtles don't seem to bother the fish )</font>

Some of the best fishing ponds I've found in my lifetime also had snapping turtles in them. The fish and turtles seem to co-exist pretty well. However, many years ago Dad and I used to set throw lines for catfish in a particular pond and several times, we ran the lines to find just a catfish head on a hook. When the fish can't escape, the turtles eat them.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I think you have 2 choices to get rid of snapping turtles.

If you are married, you can toss in your mother-in-law. There is not much on this earth that is a fierce as a p.o'd mother in law, especially a wet one.

Now if you are not married, then I'm sure Junkman can give you the address of his EX. I suspect that she is none to agreeable about now and would likely be a good substitute for a M-I-L.

On the other hand, if after reading some of the posts about how the snappers keep down the Canadian Goose population and you find the snappers are getting a bit hungry, you might want to throw in a politician to feed them. Just make sure you don't toss in a lawyer, being a member of the shark family, I'm sure a lawyer could take a snapping turtle on and you'd likely end up with a reduced turtle population and a large bill to pay for the services.

 

[leaddog]

In Michigan there is a season on trapping turtles. If you advertise you will find people to trap them as they are very good to eat. That is why there is a season. So many people were picking them up in the spring when they were out laying eggs that is was making them scarce. A few years back I saw an ad to buy turtle meat for $20 a lb. But I think it is illegal to sell the meat also. Snapping turtles live for 50 years and they are the BIg ones, but around here you hardly ever find any big ones any more.
leaddog